The present application relates to self-checkout shopping in retail grocery stores, and is particularly directed to methods of mobile self-checkout shopping for produce items in a retail grocery store.
A typical produce weighing scale in a retail grocery store is located in the produce section of the retail grocery store, and is intended for use by either a retail store clerk or a retail customer. In the former case, a retail store clerk weighs a produce item which is desired to be purchased by a retail customer, waits for a barcode chit to print, and then adhesively attaches the printed barcode chit to a bag or wrap which contains the produce item. In the latter case, a retail customer weighs a produce item, selects and enters at the produce weighing scale the type of produce item from a long list of produce items, waits for a barcode chit to print, and then adhesively attaches the printed barcode chit to a bag or wrap which contains the produce item. When the customer is ready to checkout, the customer takes the bag or wrap to a self-checkout station and scans the printed barcode chit. A drawback in this case of either a retail store clerk or a customer weighing the produce item at the produce weighing scale is that a barcode chit needs to be printed and then adhesively attached to the bag or wrap which contains the produce item.
In some retail grocery stores, a produce weighing scale is located at the self-checkout station. When the customer checks out at the self-checkout station, the customer weighs the produce item to be purchased, and then selects the type of produce item from a long list of produce items. A drawback in this case is that the customer needs to handle produce items in a way which is different (i.e., the selecting of the type of produce item from the long list) from the way in which non-produce items are handled. Another drawback is that the customer does not know the price of the produce item until the customer checks out at the self-checkout station.
In some other retail stores, a customer may use a portable barcode gun to self scan items including produce items to be purchased. The customer can self scan items either before the customer arrives at the self-checkout station or at the time when the customer arrives at the self-checkout station. In the former case, a retail store clerk weighs the produce item on a produce weighing scale located in the produce section of the retail grocery store. In the latter case, the customer weighs the produce item on a produce weighing scale located at the self-checkout station. In either of these two cases, the same drawbacks just described hereinabove are present. It would be desirable to provide improved methods of self-checkout shopping for produce items so that barcode chits need not have to be printed for produce items and so that the customer need not have to handle produce items in a different way from non-produce items.